Why are we adopting?

Years ago, when Joe and I first started dating, we talked about having children. He always joked about one day having 11 kids (since he is the youngest of 11), but in all seriousness, we knew that we would like to become parents. We also talked about fertility issues, and that if we couldn’t have biological children, then we would both be interested in becoming adoptive parents. Of course, a few years later Leah was born. End of discussion, right?

Actually, the thought of adoption has always been at the back of my mind. I would often feel a great sadness after watching documentaries about foreign orphanages. Then, as fate would have it, we started sitting next to a couple in church – Debbie & Ray. They have three beautiful adopted children – two teenagers and one toddler. The more we got to know them, the more I realized that adoption is really a wonderful way to build a family.

In the fall of last year, I asked Joe if we could send away for some information from three adoption agencies, just to take a look. By the time we had watched the DVD sent to us from Lavida (the same agency that Debbie & Ray used), I was convinced that this was something we should do. Joe and I decided then to open our hearts to a new little girl for our family.

So that is our story. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we wait for our second daughter, all the way from China.